Forest bathing at Blakes Wood and Danbury Commons

Blakes Wood is a 100-acre ancient wood on the slopes of the Danbury ridge near Little Baddow, looked after by the National Trust along with the nearby commons. It is a working coppice of hornbeam and sweet chestnut with oak, ash and birch, cut in rotation so the wood moves between light and shade. Danbury Common, the second largest area of common land in Essex, and the smaller Lingwood Common and Backwarden add lowland heath and more hornbeam coppice. With no café or visitor centre, there is little here to draw crowds.

Start from the free Blakes Wood car park. The waymarked loop to Lingwood Common is about 2.5 miles and takes around an hour and a half, which leaves room to stop. Paths are hilly, with roots and mud after wet weather, so wear boots; the route is not suitable for pushchairs or wheelchairs. The bluebells come later here than in many woods, from mid-May into early June. There are no toilets on site; the nearest are at The Generals Arms in Little Baddow when it is open.